Israel Cabinet Decides to Shorten Army Service for Young Draftees

Israel’s Cabinet decided at its regular meeting yesterday to shorten the conscription period for both boys and girls, it was announced here today.

While no details were announced, it was believed that the army service period for Israeli draftees will be lessened by several months due to the fact that statistics indicate that, in the next few years, more boys and girls in this country will reach draft age than heretofore.

The decision will be discussed with Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, after which a new draft law will be submitted to the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament. At the meeting, the Cabinet also approved plans for awarding special medals to Jerusalem residents who acted as home guards during the War of Liberation in 1948-49.